Designs to take over J&K Bank was in pipeline since a long: Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that the design to take over the J&K Bank was in the pipeline since his tenure as Chief Minister in the State.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the function here at SKICC, Dr Farooq who is also Member of Parliament said that the designs to take over the JK Bank was in the pipeline since his tenure as the chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir but there was they thought that they could succeed in Governor’s rule.

“I remember when I was the Chief Minister and the Bank was working well, I was in the office of Home Minister L K Advani along with Deputy Chairman planning commission K C Panth and they were saying that the bank is going down and it should be taken over,” Dr Farooq said, adding that “Luckily, Business Standard, a daily from newspaper from Mumbai had published a complete report on JK bank and showed how good it was. “I sent those reports to them and I am glad that Panth spoke to me on the phone and said his information was wrong,” Abdullah said.

He said that once Governor’s rule is over, the popular government will have to look into this to the autonomy of the JK Bank.

Abdullah further said that the Governor’s yesterday statement is good news.

Meanwhile, Dr Farooq said that the elections will take place. “We hope it will take place soon. But it is up to them to decide anything in this regard. It would be good in case the parliamentary and assembly elections will take place jointly,” he said.

However, he reacted over Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath’s statement, saying that election commission should take notice of his statement as he is seeking vote for Bhagwan Ram. “It is the India we have dreamt off. In a secular nation, elections commission must taken action against those who use religion to gain votes. Any use of religion is supposed to be not part of the election process,” he added.

About joint elections with other party, Dr Farooq said, “In case it will be required then it will take place on time.”

Abdullah also welcomed the positive approach of Pakistan’s leadership on resolving long pending issues with government of India.

He said that the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent avowals on Indo-Pak bonhomie has rekindled the hope that a day will come when the people of Jammu & Kashmir will live in a free atmosphere.

“I foresee a time when my colleagues, friends and family members move around without security. It is perhaps for that day, God has kept me going. I wish that day comes when the two neighboring countries of India and Pakistan live in camaraderie,” he said.

Dr Farooq asserted that only democratically elected governments will advance the cause of development and will work for the socio-economic emancipation of the underprivileged. “I look forward to elections for the state assembly at an earliest. Only a popular government can mitigate the mounting woes of the people. And it is the duty of people to elect honest people to the legislature,” he said.